Part 17 (1/2)
”Oh! What can I do? What can I do?” cried poor Harry
The wolf and her cubs seemed to say, ”Gallop ahile you can, or ill eat you up as well as your brother”
At that critical moment a rifle-shot was heard, and the wolf, with a yelp of pain and rage, let go her hold Directly afterwards a h the forest towards them
”Oh, you are saved!--you are saved, s of affection
”Indown at the wounded wolf, whoer shouted to them as he advanced They could not understand what he said, but they thought it was probably telling them not to meddle with the wolf As soon as he ca knife from a sheath at his side, and in thepractice, approaching the brute froed it into her neck
”Bravo! Bravo!” shouted Fred and Harry ”Thanks--thanks! Oh, hoe could thank you in your own language”
The stranger looked up with a snised him as their new attendant, the Molokani, Steffanoff Saveleff They put out their hands to shake his He sh the forest
”Oh, but ant the skin of the beast,” said Fred; ”I'll keep it as a memorial of what you have done for me”
”And weup, and will soon beco to the tree
Steffanoff understood the action which acco wolves Thus, in hunter guise, they took their way through the forest The lads chatted freely to their guide, and though he could not understand a word they said, he looked up every now and then with one of those pleasant sladly have talked to them if he could His step was so elastic and rapid, that he kept their horses at a short trot the whole way
The Count and his friends got home soon after they arrived, and Cousin Giles expressed no s them This was very much increased when he heard the risk they had run; and Steffanoff came in most deservedly for his share of praise for the way in which he had rescued the lads
”Tell him,” said Cousin Giles to Mr Allwick, ”that I was inclined to serve him before, but that now I am doubly anxious to be of use to him
Had any accident happened to the two lads, I should never have forgivencertain that he could depend on the Count, gave hi his advice and assistance
The Count shook his head ”I am afraid that he has very little chance of success,” said he; ”still I will gladly assist and protect him to the uth Mr Allwick, the promise which had been rateful to the Count,”
said he; ”but I have no faith in what my countrymen can do for me”
A few days after this occurrence the whole party set off for Moscow, to be present at the coronation of the Emperor
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Letter from Fred Markham to his Mother--Entrance of the Czar into Moscow--Saveleff presents his Petition--Grand Review of Troops-- Coronation of the Emperor--Fete at the Opera--State balls--The Illumination--The People's Feast--The People's Ball--Fireworks-- Character of Russians--Thieving Propensities--Russian's Aptitude for Co Heretics-- Blessing the Waters--Blessing Fruits--Christening Cereh Mass in a Greek Church--Preparations for Leaving Moscow--Last News of Saveleff
”Moscow, _30th Septehted that we cahts, such as we are not likely to see again; and, thanks to the Count's kindness,everything to the best advantage, which I will now try and describe to you as briefly as I can The very day we came here the Emperor arrived at his boiled-crab-like palace of Petrofsky, in front of which his caust was fixed for his entrance into the city A long, sohts and sizes, leads froate to the Kremlin Rows above rows of benches were placed at every interval between the houses, as also on their roofs, and in front of the covered with people in their best attire, while the sides of the street were densely croith mujicks, bothkept clear by lines of cavalry; gay carpets, cloths, flags, and banners of every description hung out of all the s, adding to the brilliancy of the scene We got first-rate seats near the entrance to the Kre was rainy, but in the forenoon the weather cleared, and ringing of bells and firing of big guns, and talking and laughing, and hurrying of people to and fro to their posts, andof infantry and cavalry, occupied the tiate; troops of eous costunificent unifor him, while he was followed by the es--fine enough to make the Lord Mayor of London and all the Sheriffs jealous
”All the great people were acco footmen, lacqueys, and others, and the whole procession ound up with some fine squadrons of cuirassiers Priests in their robes, with their crosses and pictures of saints, stood at all the churches, and at the doors of some the Emperor dismounted and kissed them--not the priests, but the crosses and pictures--as he and his Empress did also the relics and pictures of saints of peculiar sanctity in the various cathedrals And lastly, in the cathedral of Saint Michael, they prostrated themselves before the tombs of those of their ancestors who are there buried Cousin Giles said it struck hi somewhat of an example of idolatry to his subjects; but I do not suppose that he troubled himself about any such consideration The universal custo bread and salt was performed by the Archbishop of Moscow to the Emperor as he entered the palace of the Kreerly watched to see if our friend Saveleff could find an opportunity of presenting his petition to the Emperor Whenever the Czar stopped, the crowd pressed forward, and, amid shouts and cries, took his hand, and pressed it to their lips
”'I see hi hel swords, and gay banners were defiling through the gate of the Kre the crowd, and thenahis way to the front rank, with a paper held out in one hand above his head
We could not hear, of course, what he said, but whatever was his appeal, his brethren made way for him We were certain he could be no other than Saveleff He had just reached the position he sought, when the Emperor himself approached The Emperor bowed and smiled, and held out his hand to a nu forward to kiss it At that moment, Saveleff, with a few hurried words, thrust his paper between the Eers We understand that he exclaimed, 'Oh, your Majesty, look at my document--life and death depends on it
Grant my petition!' The Czar cast a look of surprise at the audaciousa word, handed the paper to an officer near his, his anxieties-- ah, you will ask, what is that?--we cannot tell The Count has done his utmost to forward his object His parents are still on their way to Siberia, if they have survived the hardshi+ps they have endured His betrothed is still aed back to slavery The poor fellow remains with us, and is unmolested, but he is in low spirits, and hopeless of success Still, he says that he would gladly go through far greater hardshi+ps and troubles than he has endured for the sake of the faith to which he holds Cousin Giles would have taken hiland, but he will not quit the country which holds his betrothed, nor give up all prospects of rescuing his parents